Gold Coast vs. Townsville
AP Sports Preview
TOWNSVILLE, Australia (Interstat) — The Townsville Flames host the Gold Coast Rollers in a women’s NBL matchup Friday night at Townsville Stadium, with both teams seeking to reverse recent trends.
Gold Coast (2-5) arrives on a five-game losing streak, the latest a 90-80 home defeat to Rockhampton on May 23. The Rollers, who have lost seven of their last eight dating to April, have struggled defensively, allowing 90 or more points in two of their past three outings.
Guard Ariana Moorer has been a consistent performer despite the losses. She posted 13 points, five rebounds and four assists in 30 minutes against Rockhampton, and scored 23 points in a 73-59 defeat at Logan on May 15. Moorer also contributed 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists in Gold Coast’s lone win of the season, a 78-61 victory at North Gold Coast on May 2.
Townsville (3-3) comes off an 83-95 home loss to Mackay on May 22, snapping a two-game win streak. The Flames have been erratic, alternating wins and losses over their last five games. Their victories include a 89-84 road win at Northside on May 16 and an 82-78 triumph at S.C. Phoenix on May 15.
Forward Courtney Woods has been Townsville’s offensive engine. She logged a triple-double in the win over S.C. Phoenix with 23 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, then followed with 26 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists at Northside. In the loss to Mackay, Woods produced 28 points and 12 assists in 40 minutes.
Both teams rank near the middle of the NBL table. Gold Coast’s defense has allowed an average of 77.6 points per game, while Townsville scores 79.3 per contest. The Flames will look to exploit the Rollers’ perimeter defense, which gave up 10 three-pointers to Rockhampton.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. local time.